I am sad that this is not true. As a fallen Catholic…it made me consider going back to the church as this Pope seemed more human and compassionate. That is something that has been lacking. Pope Francis is progressive enough to make me feel that the church can change to a place I want to be. Why not let this story stand as it was? Do you not get that Francis is calling to us to be better people? And by that, perhaps, call us back to church?

Here is my slightly edited response that I thought might be helpful to you if you are considering coming back to the Church because you think Pope Francis is “human” and “compassionate.” It is true he is “human” and “compassionate” but more is going on than you think.

The Church’s teaching has not and will not change. It is only the secular press that changes the spin on it. Such as calling the most gentle and humble man that Benedict XVI is “God’s Rottweiler.” Or deliberately taking very compassionate teachings of God and turning them into something completely different because they don’t serve the secular agenda. They take snippets of quotes but not all the quote because it will not fit their story. They twist good things to evil and make evil things good. Why pray tell is suddenly this non-story breaking world news? Because it fits a secular agenda and brings ratings. Pushing that animals are equal with people. They are wonderful creatures of God, but they are not people. A wonderful priest once told me that if your dog makes you happy than you will probably find your dog waiting for you in heaven, but it won’t be because the dog has a person type soul.

Pope Francis is truly kind and compassionate and “human” – but so was John Paul II and Benedict XVI and many of the popes before them. Pope Francis is not teaching anything different, and is not being “progressive.” He is just being shown what he is. He has a different “style” of doing things but isn’t teaching anything different.

As soon as the press thinks that portraying him that way no longer serves their purpose than they will start portraying him as “rigid” “strict” “conservative” “caving into conservatives” or whatever headline they can think of to minimize him.

All the popes have been calling people to be better people. Try reading the John Paul’s Letter to Women or to his Letter to Families. Go to Catholic Answers or Catholics Come Home or any number of good places to get true answers about what the faith teaches. Listen to Ave Maria Radio, or EWTN TV or Radio, Relevant Radio or any of the other Catholic radio networks that you can listen to online or an app or IHeartRadio. There are so many places that you can be fortified in your faith. We welcome you back. Find a priest you like, go to confession and take it one day at a time. Learn to pray. If there is a teaching you don’t understand take the time to get educated as to why the church teaches what it does – not what some someone else says it teaches. God loves you, the Church (whose job it is to help you get to heaven) loves you and I love you. Please consider coming back. The love is waiting for you, you only have to reach for it.